North Myrtle Beach branding itself as a ‘first choice coastal destination’

North Myrtle Beach is using results of a year-long, in-depth research study as a guide for its new marketing and rebranding campaign that promotes the city as a “unique, first choice coastal destination.”

The 2016 marketing campaign launched Wednesday before the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau revealed statistics gathered from the spring and summer 2015 tourist seasons. It also focused on a new marketing slogan, “Just Coast,” that encourages visitors to the area to relax and enjoy the beach and other amenities the city has to offer.

George DuRant, the chamber’s vice president of tourism development, said a goal of the marketing campaign is to keep accommodations tax dollars at home and to stretch marketing dollars through social media and public relations.

“We have overhauled all our marketing strategies,” DuRant said. “Our primary goal is to inspire people to come here and keep their dollars here.”

The study developed by Gray Research Solutions of Nashville, Tenn., looked at lodging trends, visitor profiles, economic impact and spending habits of visitors. An overview of the marketing results revealed the tourism industry generated $96 million in state and local taxes during the 2015 season, offsetting local taxes by more than $12,000 a year for each of the city’s 7,727 households.

Tourism was also credited with creating an estimated 11,643 jobs within the city limits with 2,213 additional tourism jobs created outside the city limits. Indirect visitor expenditures within the city limits were calculated at $956 million with another $181 million spent outside the city limits.

“The strong statistics show the ever-growing and significant impact that North Myrtle Beach tourism has on our community, region and the state of South Carolina,” DuRant said.

He said the research study helped the city to understand key drivers that keep visitors returning year after year and spending on average $3,314 per trip.

The study yielded a “lot of to dos” DuRant said. While July showed the highest occupancy of the year, the city needs to improve its economic results from May.

“During July Fourth you cannot wedge another human into this town,” DuRant said. “But we need to work on marketing other times.”

One key to marketing growth, he said, would be packaging. “People like bundling,” he said, adding that packaging does not necessarily mean discounts.

The “Just Coast” slogan suggests that visitors to the city can have it all—a beach getaway for families with a variety of dining and entertainment choices at their fingertips—and still get away from it all for a quiet, relaxing vacation if they choose, officials said. The marketing campaign, according to Andy Windham of Crawford Strategy, will provide a “very cohesive, unified brand look for the area.”

The campaign capitalizes on social media and digital outlets to promote North Myrtle Beach as a top tourist destination and includes a new website at ExploreNorthMyrtleBeach.com.

Chamber President Marc Jordan expressed his pride in the efforts of the chamber membership for supporting the marketing efforts.

“Dollar for dollar and pound for pound this is about the most dynamic organization I’ve been a part of,” Jordan said. “I have never had a more engaged membership. Even the past chairs are ferociously protective of this organization.”

The chamber has a marketing co-op, supports two lobbyists in Columbia to advocate on behalf of the city and has developed a political action committee called BizUnite.

Chamber board chairman Bill Griste, Jr., following the presentation, said he believes the research shows the unique values North Myrtle Beach has to offer the region.

“Those would include the family-oriented aspect of our beach community and the fine vacation rentals and resorts our business community has to offer. We are very excited about the ‘Just Coast’ campaign because we feel like those two words alone clearly define what North Myrtle Beach is all about,” Griste said.

This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 6:55 PM with the headline "North Myrtle Beach branding itself as a ‘first choice coastal destination’."